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United States Patent |
5,056,192
|
Grass
|
October 15, 1991
|
Protective cover for single and multiple articulation hinges
Abstract
A protective cover for a hinge has a band-like cover strip which extends
longitudinally relative to the hinge and has one end connected with the
hinge barrel and the other end of the cover strip connected with the hinge
arm. The cover strip is longitudinally elastic and flexible and covers at
least the respective top sides of the hinge barrel and the hinge arm. The
cover strip can have a U-shaped cross section.
Inventors:
|
Grass; Alfred (Hochst/Vlbg., AT)
|
Assignee:
|
Grass AG (Hochst/Vlbg., AT)
|
Appl. No.:
|
551196 |
Filed:
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July 11, 1990 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
Current U.S. Class: |
16/251 |
Intern'l Class: |
E05D 011/00 |
Field of Search: |
16/250,251
|
References Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
2274160 | Feb., 1942 | Porter | 16/251.
|
4856141 | Aug., 1989 | Sassenberg | 16/251.
|
4870716 | Oct., 1989 | Gass | 16/250.
|
Foreign Patent Documents |
2655831 | Jun., 1978 | DE | 16/251.
|
2721582 | Nov., 1978 | DE | 16/250.
|
2753522 | Jun., 1979 | DE.
| |
3239041 | May., 1984 | DE.
| |
Primary Examiner: Seidel; Richard K.
Assistant Examiner: Brown; Edward A.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A protective cover for a hinge having a hinge arm and a hinge barrel
comprising:
a longitudinally elastic and flexible strip-like cover extending
longitudinally relative to the hinge and having one end connected with the
upper flange of the hinge barrel and the other end of the cover strip
connected with the hinge arm and wherein the cover strip covers at least
substantially the entire top side of the hinge arm and the upper flange of
the hinge barrel.
2. A protective cover as claimed in claim 1 wherein the cover has a
substantially U-shaped cross section.
3. A protective cover as claimed in claim 1 wherein the cover embraceably
and conformably covers at least substantially the entire top side of the
hinge barrel and the upper flange of the hinge barrel.
4. A protective cover as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the cover is
formed of a woven fabric.
5. A protective cover as claimed in claim 4 wherein the fabric is woven
from rubber threads.
6. A protective cover as claimed in claim 4 wherein the fabric is woven
from textile threads.
7. A protective cover as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the cover is
formed of a knitted fabric.
8. A protective cover as claimed in claim 7 where the fabric is knitted
from rubber threads.
9. A protective cover as claimed in claim 7 wherein the fabric is knitted
from textile threads.
10. A protective cover as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the cover is
formed of a plastic material.
11. A protective cover as claimed in claim 10 wherein the plastic material
is foamed.
12. A protective cover as claimed in claim 10 wherein the plastic material
is extruded.
13. A protective cover as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the cover is
formed of a metal wire mesh.
Description
FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a cover as jamming protection for single
or multiple articulation hinges, in which at least the top side of the
hinge barrel and of the hinge arm articulating with the hinge barrel is
covered with a protective cover, the one end thereof being connected with
the hinge barrel and the other end of the protective cover being connected
with the hinge arm.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
This type of cover has been disclosed, for example, with the subject matter
of DE 27 21 582 A1. In this case, the cover consists of a protective cover
bending into itself that cannot be adjusted in length. This protective
cover articulates at its one end with the hinge arm and at its other end
with the hinge barrel. The protective cover is bent in the closing
position, while it covers the gap between the hinge arm and the hinge
barrel in the open position.
The disadvantage of this known protective cover, however, is that the
protective cover lifts up from the hinge during the transition from the
open position to the closing position, which causes a space in the
articulation gap of the hinge, so that there is a risk of lateral jamming
in this uncovered articulation gap.
The subject matter of DE 27 53 522 C2 discloses a further protective cover
that cannot be adjusted in length, being in a fixed connection at its one
end with the hinge arm and in a displaceable connection arrangement at it
other end with the opposite part of the hinge. This type of guide is
relatively expensive, however, and requires special selection of the
material for the protective cover.
A similar design is also disclosed in DE 32 39 041 A1.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the invention, therefore, is to improve a cover as jamming
protection for single or multiple articulation hinges of the type
mentioned in the beginning so as to ensure a jamming protection device
that is simple to mount and provides optimum protection at minimum
manufacturing cost.
The object of the invention is achieved in that the protective cover is
designed as an elastic cover that is at least longitudinally elastic.
The field of application of the present invention includes all known single
or multiple articulation hinges. The important thing is that the
protective cover according to the invention achieves a protective effect
for the articulation gap of the hinge concerned.
The use of an elastic cover that is at least longitudinally elastic
achieves optimum protection, because there is no lift-off motion in the
transition from the open to the closing position or the reverse.
One such elastic cover that is at least longitudinally elastic would be a
rubber band that is clamped on the hinge barrel and on the rear end of the
hinge clamp. This rubber band is longitudinally elastic, that is, it can
be adjusted in length on stretching. Provision can also be made in a
further development of the present invention for the protective cover to
be not only adjustable in length but also capable of transverse strain,
that is, lateral areas of the two hinge parts articulating with each other
can also be covered thereby.
In the simplest case, the protective cover has a flat shape. That is, it
provides a plate-like cover over the parts of the hinge articulating with
each other. A further development of the invention provides for a U-shape
or a C-shape instead of a flat shape. This ensures that not only the top
sides of the hinge but also the lateral surfaces are covered. One of the
advantages of this is that, when the hinge is mounted, fingers are
protected from getting into the articulating gap from the top or the
bottom.
There are a number of possible and preferred embodiments for designing the
protective cover as an elastic cover that is at least longitudinally
elastic.
A first embodiment was represented above as a rubber band. In addition,
there are a number of further possibilities for longitudinally elastic
design of such protective covers. They involve knitted or woven fabrics
that are all at least adjustable with respect to length, and are also
capable of transverse strain.
The important thing is that the elastic cover covers at least the surface
of the hinge by virtue of its longitudinal elasticity and, preferably, the
side faces as well by virtue of transverse elasticity.
Knitted or woven fabrics of this type may or may not also contain rubber or
textile threads with their own longitudinal elasticity. A knitted or woven
fabric is also longitudinally elastic and possibly transversely elastic
when a corresponding tensile stress is applied in the given direction
because the mesh structure changes thereby.
If a change in the mesh structure is not desired, rubber threads can also
be worked into the fabric made of textile fibers, or the knitted or woven
fabric can be produced with rubber threads alone.
The invention is not restricted to the use of longitudinally elastic
fabrics, however. In a further development of the invention, the fabric is
replaced by a continuous shape having suitable longitudinal elasticity.
Such longitudinally elastic covers include longitudinally elastic rubber
covers as well as covers made of foamed or extruded plastic.
In a further development, the elastic cover consists of a longitudinally
elastic metal wire mesh. The threads of this elastic cover are
longitudinally extensible in the longitudinal and possibly the transverse
direction, for example, in the form of coil or helical springs as used for
a metal wire grid on a bed-frame.
To return to the described preferred embodiment of the elastic cover made
of a longitudinally elastic knitted or woven fabric, it may be added that,
when a coarse fabric is used, the adjusting components of the hinge arm
lying below are accessible through the mesh structure of this fabric by
means of a screwdriver without making special openings in the protective
cover for this purpose.
If a fine weave is used, cut-outs are provided for passage of a tool to the
adjusting components arranged in the hinge arm.
Provision is also made for the protective cover to be separably connected
with the parts of the hinge. Such a separable mounting can be by means of
hooking components, the protective cover having suitable hook-shaped ends,
the one end being separably connected with the hinge barrel and the other
being separably connected with the hinge arm.
The longitudinally elastic cover can be given designs in different colors
with or without an inscription. Similarly, an especially esthetic overall
impression can also be achieved with a transparent elastic strip that will
allow easy recognition of the hinge lying below.
The subject matter of the present invention is indicated not only by the
subject matter of the individual patent claims but also by a combination
of the individual patent claims with each other. All data and features
disclosed in the documents, including the summary, particularly the
spatial configurations represented in the drawings, are claimed as
essential to the invention to the extent that they are novel compared to
the prior art either individually or in combination.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention is explained in more detail below using drawings representing
a number of embodiment approaches. The drawings and their description
indicate further features essential to the invention as well as further
advantages of the invention.
FIG. 1 is a section through a two-articulation hinge in the open position
with protective cover.
FIG. 2 is a section through the hinge of FIG. 1 in the closing position
with a modified mounting of the protective cover.
FIG. 3 is a section through a wide-angle hinge in the closing position.
FIG. 4 is a section through the wide-angle hinge of FIG. 3 with a modified
mounting for the protective cover.
FIG. 5 is a plan view of the hinge of FIG. 4.
FIG. 6 is a modified embodiment of the protective cover.
FIG. 7 is a second modification of the protective cover.
FIG. 8 is a third modification of the protective cover.
FIG. 9 is a plan view of a protective cover as knitted or woven fabric.
FIG. 10 is a plan view of a protective cover made of a longitudinally
elastic metal wire mesh.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
A known two-articulation hinge is represented in the example embodiments
according to FIGS. 1 and 2; it consists of a hinge barrel 1 and a hinge
arm 2 articulating thereon through toggle joints.
According to FIG. 1, the hinge barrel and the hinge arm are covered at
least at the top by an elastic cover, which is suspended from and fixed on
the upper flange of the hinge barrel 1 with a hook-shaped end 5.
It thus covers all parts, particularly the area of the hinge barrel where
injuries can be caused, so that fingers can no longer be inserted into the
hinge barrel 1 from the top or the side.
At the rear end of the hinge arm 2, the elastic cover 4 has a similar
hook-shaped end with which it is suspended from the cover clamp 11 of the
hinge arm 2.
The elastic cover 4 consists in this case of a lattice-like, longitudinally
elastic, knitted or woven fabric, and it can be seen that the transverse
threads 9 run at right angles with the longitudinal axis of the hinge.
This causes a broadening of the interval between the transverse threads 9
in the open position of the hinge, so that the adjusting screws 6, 7, 8
arranged under the elastic cover 4 are easily accessible to a tool (e.g.,
a screwdriver) penetrating through the elastic cover, which is not damaged
thereby.
Other types of mounting are possible in addition to the separable mounting
represented in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 represents one such mounting. In this case,
an elastic cover 14 is fastened by means of a hook-shaped clamping
component 15 on the upper edge 3 of the hinge barrel 1 using a tensioning
screw 16.
The same fastening is carried out at the rear end of the hinge arm 2 using
a clamping component 15 with a tensioning screw here too.
FIGS. 3 and 4 show the use of another elastic cover 24 for a wide-angle
hinge.
Hooking components 25 are provided here as well; they are mounted on the
rear end of the hinge arm 2 and on the upper flange of the hinge arm 1 set
in a door.
The hooking components 25, 26 are separably connected with the hinge
components here too, and they claw like staples into the elastic cover 24.
FIG. 4 shows that the invented elastic cover 24 ensures optimum cover of
the articulation gap of the wide-angle hinge.
FIG. 5 shows an elastic cover 29 that can also be used in the preceding
embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 4. This elastic cover consists basically of
transverse and longitudinal threads 9, 29, which are in a lattice-like
arrangement and may be bonded at the junction points if necessary.
This provides not only longitudinal elasticity but also transverse
elasticity, so that this type of elastic cover can also be stretched over
the side faces of the hinge arm and the side faces of the toggle joints.
FIGS. 6 to 8 show different designs of elastic covers 17, 19, 21, which
consist of a continuous material that is elastic longitudinally and, if
necessary, transversely. Such materials include rubber materials as well
as foamed or extruded plastics.
The important thing is that the elastic covers be approximately U-shaped or
C-shaped, so that the side faces of the hinge arm and of the toggle joints
are also covered with the side legs 18, 20, 22. This also prevents the
risk of injury to fingers inserted from above or below (parallel with the
door joint).
FIG. 9 shows that an elastic cover 27 can also be made with a net-like
knitting with longitudinal threads 28 and transverse threads 30.
In this case, the threads 28, 30 are interconnected at the junction points
33.
The elastic cover 31 according to FIG. 10 consists of longitudinally
elastic metal wires designed as longitudinal threads 32 in coils or
spirals forming small coil springs, which also provides the required
longitudinal elasticity.
Rigid or longitudinally elastic transverse connections 34 can be provided
in addition; they can connect the longitudinal threads 32 in a parallel
spaced arrangement to give the overall structure a certain degree of
stability longitudinally and transversely.
The advantage of the protective covers described is that they are elastic
components that are simple and economical to produce and easy to assemble.
Furthermore, they can be mounted later on hinges already in place and can
be delivered separately.
The elastic covers can have any kind of design and are suitable for all
opening angles of all hinge types.
They have a long service life, increase the height of the hinge only
slightly, and have no guides, articulations or other mechanically
sensitive parts. Apart from this, they ensure easy access to the
adjustment parts of the hinge, even when the elastic covers completely
surround the hinge on all sides.
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